How Big Will the iPhone Become?

palewook writes "Combine the best elements of an iPod with a BlackBerry's addictive usefulness, and you may just get Apple's Next Big Thing. Around 2009, when the lower cost version of iPhone appears, Business Week believes the yearly market for iPhones could be over 10 billion dollars a year. Its an interesting prediction; if those numbers come to pass, iPhone could become a bigger source of revenue than the traditional iPod. 'The answer may not come until 2009. By then, Apple should have begun creating lower-cost iPhone variants to reach consumers scared off by the introductory $499 price. It also will probably have moved into overseas markets and cut deals with more carriers to utilize higher-speed wireless networks. So while most analysts look for Apple to sell around 3 million units this year and 10 to 12 million in 2008, many figure that 20 million will move in 2009.'"

Comments

I'll buy one if. . .

[kimvette]

* I can install whatever software I want on it (wow, just like a Microsoft smartphone or a PDA)
* I can play ogg-vorbis, mp3, avi, and other media formats on it
* It comes with a standard stereo headphone jack in addition to a headset one
* It comes with 3G and bluetooth is not locked down at ALL

If I buy something with all the capabilities of a PDA, I'd want it to replace my PDA, not be locked down. I've avoided smartphones and stuck with a separate PDA due to the limited nature of PDA+phone models so far.